High School Del Val Cheer Program

[Twinklestars]

I truly think that the biggest issue is that cheer is seen as a "girl thing". And, frankly, my dears, those male ADs just don't give a damn.

I know that there are some guys who do care, but more don't than do. Our principal was willing to scrap our program and his daughter was cheering.

Sideline is cheer. And, it is important to a lot of small, rural schools and communities. Sometimes, it is all those girls have.

 

[dat.jpp]

AD stands for athletic director. Most schools have one. It's the person overseeing all of the schools athletic teams.

oh... wtf? what kind of athletic director wouldn't want cheer?

 

[Official OWECheer]

oh... wtf? what kind of athletic director wouldn't want cheer?

Plenty, actually. And they are sniffing out the first reason to cut it. A couple seasons ago, there was a rumor stating that North Laurel High School (2x UCA National Champions) was going to lose their cheer program due to drama. I can't verify the validity of those claims, but if they were true at one point (NLHS still has their cheer program, thank goodness) then they wouldn't be the first school to have the AD or principal get rid of cheer.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

oh... wtf? what kind of athletic director wouldn't want cheer?

The kind that takes multiple parent complaints about cheer politics or drama. The kind that sees a coach's insistence on competing in an expensive, non-sanctioned, third-party national competition as an unnecessary money pit.

No one has suggested the AD here doesn't want cheer. They've suggested that he wants to quash the trips to nationals. All teams going to nationals are one major team screw up away from getting that privilege taken away.

 

[Official OWECheer]

The kind that takes multiple parent complaints about cheer politics or drama. The kind that sees a coach's insistence on competing in an expensive, non-sanctioned, third-party national competition as an unnecessary money pit.

No one has suggested the AD here doesn't want cheer. They've suggested that he wants to quash the trips to nationals. All teams going to nationals are one major team screw up away from getting that privilege taken away.

This has made me realize how much of a blessing in disguise it is to for a program to not have Nationals be a tradition for them.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

This has made me realize how much of a blessing in disguise it is to for a program to not have Nationals be a tradition for them.

I love nationals, my kids love nationals... but I am 100% with you, it really is a way to make cheer more expensive and NO AD's do not get it. Now, mine supports me 100%, but he asked me what is the appeal. I explained to him it's a thing, it's every cheerleaders dream to compete at "Nationals".. it has been a thing for 30 years... In addition, my all-star girls tend to quit all-star for me and my program b/c we offer this which makes the school program more appealing.

(The downside, I don't take JV which makes kids feel like JV is punishment)

 

[Official OWECheer]

I love nationals, my kids love nationals... but I am 100% with you, it really is a way to make cheer more expensive and NO AD's do not get it. Now, mine supports me 100%, but he asked me what is the appeal. I explained to him it's a thing, it's every cheerleaders dream to compete at "Nationals".. it has been a thing for 30 years... In addition, my all-star girls tend to quit all-star for me and my program b/c we offer this which makes the school program more appealing.

(The downside, I don't take JV which makes kids feel like JV is punishment)

Ugh, that makes it harder!

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Ugh, that makes it harder!

I encourage my kids to do all stars. We don't have the space or the equipment for them to get that kind of tumbling practice in on a regular basis at the school. The local gym owners are my best friends, and it's no trouble for us to work together to allow for kids to do both.

My kids love nationals, as well. My athletic director and I have an agreement, we aren't spending the money to go down there and not be competitive. By competitive, I don't mean we have to go to win. I mean we're going down their feeling good about ourselves, and knowing that we are going to put on a performance that is not an embarrassment to the school and the athletes. We missed finals this year by 0.6 points. We were so close, but my kids came back hungry for more and they've been killing it through pre-season conditioning this year. The all star gym had "open gym" Monday night and 14 out of my 33 kids showed up to work on their skills to a completely unrelated, optional activity.

The teams from our area who have the most trouble out of parents and AD's are the ones who treat the trip like a vacation. When you're taking kids out of school for four or five instructional days, getting on the mat for 2 1/2 minutes out of those five days, and dropping 13 stunts in one performance, people are going to get their panties in a wad. The kids get disgruntled, the parents get PO'd, and the AD gets anxious...

 

[Official OWECheer]

I encourage my kids to do all stars. We don't have the space or the equipment for them to get that kind of tumbling practice in on a regular basis at the school. The local gym owners are my best friends, and it's no trouble for us to work together to allow for kids to do both.

My kids love nationals, as well. My athletic director and I have an agreement, we aren't spending the money to go down there and not be competitive. By competitive, I don't mean we have to go to win. I mean we're going down their feeling good about ourselves, and knowing that we are going to put on a performance that is not an embarrassment to the school and the athletes. We missed finals this year by 0.6 points. We were so close, but my kids came back hungry for more and they've been killing it through pre-season conditioning this year. The all star gym had "open gym" Monday night and 14 out of my 33 kids showed up to work on their skills to a completely unrelated, optional activity.

The teams from our area who have the most trouble out of parents and AD's are the ones who treat the trip like a vacation. When you're taking kids out of school for four or five instructional days, getting on the mat for 2 1/2 minutes out of those five days, and dropping 13 stunts in one performance, people are going to get their panties in a wad. The kids get disgruntled, the parents get PO'd, and the AD gets anxious...

This.

That's basically been my response to half of your comments LOL. But it's true. Plus people talk and if everyone learns that you're the program that doesn't take Nationals as seriously as everyone else, then everyone looks down on you.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

I encourage my kids to do all stars. We don't have the space or the equipment for them to get that kind of tumbling practice in on a regular basis at the school. The local gym owners are my best friends, and it's no trouble for us to work together to allow for kids to do both.

My kids love nationals, as well. My athletic director and I have an agreement, we aren't spending the money to go down there and not be competitive. By competitive, I don't mean we have to go to win. I mean we're going down their feeling good about ourselves, and knowing that we are going to put on a performance that is not an embarrassment to the school and the athletes. We missed finals this year by 0.6 points. We were so close, but my kids came back hungry for more and they've been killing it through pre-season conditioning this year. The all star gym had "open gym" Monday night and 14 out of my 33 kids showed up to work on their skills to a completely unrelated, optional activity.

The teams from our area who have the most trouble out of parents and AD's are the ones who treat the trip like a vacation. When you're taking kids out of school for four or five instructional days, getting on the mat for 2 1/2 minutes out of those five days, and dropping 13 stunts in one performance, people are going to get their panties in a wad. The kids get disgruntled, the parents get PO'd, and the AD gets anxious...

My kids quit b/c it gets to be too much, they tend to be with younger girls. The local program to us that a lot of kids cheer for is high school friendly but its also an area where school activities are pushed and when they are at HS cheer 3-4 days a week, all star 3-4 days a week, student council, yearbook, etc they need to choose and I am VERY LUCKY they choose me.

In addition, this is why I don't take JV, my JV is clean and typically will hit, but they just aren't nationals ready..... so it's a varsity privilege, but also really discourages upper classmen when they make JV b/c they don't have the requirements.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

My kids quit b/c it gets to be too much, they tend to be with younger girls. The local program to us that a lot of kids cheer for is high school friendly but its also an area where school activities are pushed and when they are at HS cheer 3-4 days a week, all star 3-4 days a week, student council, yearbook, etc they need to choose and I am VERY LUCKY they choose me.

In addition, this is why I don't take JV, my JV is clean and typically will hit, but they just aren't nationals ready..... so it's a varsity privilege, but also really discourages upper classmen when they make JV b/c they don't have the requirements.

We don't do varsity and JV. We have a large number of kids in the program and there is definitely a talent gradient. We take all of them. I want as many kids on the competition floor as I can get. We create two teams that will be creative in divisions. Last year we did one non-tumbling for that very reason.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

This.

That's basically been my response to half of your comments LOL. But it's true. Plus people talk and if everyone learns that you're the program that doesn't take Nationals as seriously as everyone else, then everyone looks down on you.

You must be a little radical in your thought processes, because I've always said that I am and we appear to think alike.

 

[SparkleSpankies]

We don't do varsity and JV. We have a large number of kids in the program and there is definitely a talent gradient. We take all of them. I want as many kids on the competition floor as I can get. We create two teams that will be creative in divisions. Last year we did one non-tumbling for that very reason.

We compete non tumble for varsity now b/c while we have full squad tumbling and use it for states and local, we arent tumbling at a level to be competitive in traditional divisions, in addition, we are considered a D1 school in both small and medium varsity, but it is really only by 30 students and we don't get a large turnout for cheer in general, so we have to really be smart.

 

[Official OWECheer]

We don't do varsity and JV. We have a large number of kids in the program and there is definitely a talent gradient. We take all of them. I want as many kids on the competition floor as I can get. We create two teams that will be creative in divisions. Last year we did one non-tumbling for that very reason.

And we both catch plenty of flack for it!

Also both 'O' usernames... weird coincidence!

 

[jscoach210]

I live in this county. Cheer is huge out here. It starts with the AYC and Pop Warner teams who are nationally known and it continues through most of our high schools.There is no way that Del Val's success is not known. Sounds like the AD is choosing to make life miserable.

There has been recent activity at another area high school regarding cheer and I have a feeling that Kimmy Sweet will hopefully end up there next season. I think she would be an amazing addition to their program.

I'm in the area as well... Curious as to what school you think she may be interested in... I didn't know any other schools in the area are looking:)
Pm me if you can chat abt it :)